Alstroemeria plant named ‘Zaprinous’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Zaprinous’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; purple-colored flowers; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Alstroemeria hybrida cultivar Zaprinous.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, commercially used as a container Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zaprinous’.

The new Alstroemeria is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact container Alstroemeria cultivars with desirable flower and plant qualities, attractive flower colors and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Alstroemeria originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 1999 in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, of a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as 97120-003PN, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as 95197-002D, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by root divisions in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, since June, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Zaprinous have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Zaprinous’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Zaprinous’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Purple-colored flowers.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower coloration as plants of the female parent selection had pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower coloration as plants of the female parent selection had red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Staprilene, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,683. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed from plants of the cultivar Staprilene in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria were smaller than plants of         the cultivar Staprilene.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had smaller leaves than plants         of the cultivar Staprilene.     -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had smaller flowers than         plants of the cultivar Staprilene.     -   4. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and the cultivar Staprilene         differed in flower coloration.     -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Alstroemeria had fewer stripes         than flowers of plants of the cultivar Staprilene.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Zaprinous’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown in 17-cm containers in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in a glass-covered greenhouse in ground beds. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15 to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 10 to 15° C. and light levels averaged 5,000 lux. Plants used for the photograph and description were about six months-old. The photograph and the description were taken during February. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida cultivar Zaprinous. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection             identified as 97120-003PN, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Alstroemeria hybrida             identified as 95197-002D, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By root divisions.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy, thick; white, close to             155D, in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.         -   Rhizomes.—Shape: Elongate; rounded. Length: About 10 to             30 cm. Diameter: About 3 to 10 mm. Texture: Smooth. Color:             Close to 155D. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Compact and mounded growth habit; freely             branching, bushy appearance. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 15 to 25 cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 30 to 40 cm.         -   Lateral stem description.—Aspect: Mostly upright. Quantity             per plant: About 10 to 15. Length: About 15 to 20 cm.             Diameter: About 3 to 5 mm. Internode length: About 0.5 to             1.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Glabrous. Color: Close to             145A; glossy.         -   Foliage description.—Leaves asymmetrical; sessile. Length:             About 6 to 9 cm. Width: About 1.7 to 2.5 cm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Venation pattern: Parallel. Color: Developing and fully             developed foliage, upper surface: Close to 135A; slightly             glossy. Developing and fully developed foliage, lower             surface: Close to 137A. Venation: Upper surface, close to             135A; lower surface, close to 137A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single cup-shaped flowers arranged in             compound umbels. Perianth segments separate. Freely and             continuously flowering. Flowers not persistent.         -   Natural flowering seasons.—Flowering continuous during the             spring in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four weeks.         -   Flower longevity as a cut flower.—About 18 to 20 days.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 to 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.3             to 1.7 cm. Shape: Roughly ovoid. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Umbel height.—About 8 to 10 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 12 to 14 cm.         -   Number of flowers per umbel.—About four to ten.         -   Flower length (height).—About 6 to 7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 to 6.5 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 5 to 6 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, inner             perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 5.5 to 6 cm.             Length, median segment: About 5 to 5.5 cm. Width, lateral             segments: About 1.8 to 2 cm. Width, median segment: About             1.8 to 2 cm. Size, outer perianth: Length, lateral segments:             About 5 to 5.5 cm. Length, median segment: About 5.5 to             6.5 cm. Width, lateral segments: About 2.7 to 3.5 cm. Width,             median segment: About 3 to 3.3 cm. Shape, inner perianth,             lateral and median segments: Oblanceolate. Shape, outer             perianth, lateral and median segments: Obovate. Apex, inner             perianth, lateral and median segments: Wishbone-shaped.             Apex, outer perianth, lateral and median segments:             Bracket-shaped. Base, inner and outer perianths, lateral and             median segments: Attenuate. Margin, inner and outer             perianths, lateral and median segments: Entire; moderately             undulate. Texture, inner and outer perianths, lateral and             median segments: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color, inner             perianth: When opening and fully opened, lateral segments,             upper surface: Towards the apex, 72B; towards the base,             close to 155B, stripes, purplish close to 187A; tip,             greenish white. When opening and fully openined, median             segment, upper surface: Towards the apex, 70B; towards the             base, 155A; stripes, purplish close to 187A; tip, greenish             white. When opening and fully opened, lateral segments,             lower surface: Towards the apex, 72B; towards the base,             close to 155B; tip, greenish white. When opening and fully             opened, median segment, lower surface: Towards the apex,             70B; towards the base, 155A; tip, greenish white. Color,             outer perianth: When opening and fully opened, lateral             segments, upper surface: Close to 59A; towards the margins,             close to 77A; few stripes, purplish close to 187A; tip,             greenish white. When opening and fully opened, median             segment, upper surface: Close to 59A; towards the margins,             close to 77A; tip, greenish white. When opening and fully             opened, lateral segments, lower surface: Close to 59A;             towards the margins, close to 77A; tip and venation,             greenish white. When opening and fully opened, median             segment, lower surface: Close to 59A; towards the margins,             close to 77A; tip and venation, greenish white. Peduncles:             Length: About 1 to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 to 3 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 30 to 45° from vertical.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 to 10 mm. Diameter: About 2 to             4 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: About 30 to 45° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Filament color: Brownish purple. Anther shape: Elliptical.             Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther diameter: About 1 mm.             Anther color: Close to 166A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Brown. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Style             length: About 4 to 5 cm. Style color: Purple. Stigma color:             Purple. Ovary color: Close to 144B.         -   Fruit.—Shape: Globular. Color: Brownish. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemerias. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from −5 to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant named ‘Zaprinous’, as illustrated and described. 